This is a fantastic light lemony delight, perfect for a summer buffet. Best made the day before to enable easier cutting. I found this recipe in the NY Times and then I changed it to be sugar free and Gluten free with not much effort and no change in quality, texture, or flavor. Something I always do when making a lemon flavored dessert is add more lemon, in this case a few drops of pure lemon oil (made by Boyajian).
I have given you the unchanged recipe. If you want to make it GF and SF use Swerve granulated sugar and GF SF cookies.I used Siete mexcian wedding cookies and I ground then into crumbs in the food processor then added enough melted butter just so it clumps in your hand when you squeeze it.
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST
18 graham crackers (280 grams)
Pinch fine salt
8 tablespoons/ 130 grams unsalted butter, melted
FOR THE FILLING
16 ounces/450 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar
2 lemons
1½cups /345 grams full-fat or 2 percent Greek yogurt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Procedure
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the crust: In a food processor or bag, crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. Add the salt. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine.
Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust until golden brown and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Let the crust cool slightly while you make the filling.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.Prepare the filling: Add the cream cheese and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Zest the lemons directly into the bowl. Mix on medium, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally, until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Juice the lemons while the cream cheese is mixing. You should have about ¼ cup juice. Add the yogurt and ¼ cup lemon juice to the cream cheese mixture and mix until smooth. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Pour the filling into the prepared crust, still on the baking sheet, then tap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
Bake the cheesecake until set at the edges but still wiggly in the center, 50 to 60 minutes. Turn off the oven, prop the door open and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for 20 minutes before removing it and setting it on a rack to cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate the cheesecake until completely cool, about 4 hours or overnight.
